Most Effective Home Remedies to Overcome Sleep Problems

It is the night time, when you go to sleep, that all the vital functions are performed inside your body in order to maintain sound health. Sleep isn’t only about waking up fresh, boosting your mood and reducing dark circles; it plays an essential role in your physical growth and development. For instance when you are asleep your body gets involved in healing and repairing of heart tissues and blood vessels. Sleep helps in improving your cognitive functions and keeping you alert. Adequate sleep prevents you from heart stroke, premature aging, diabetes, arthritis and many other diseases.

But yes for some people, due to various underlying reasons, it becomes extremely difficult to get proper sleep. Technology, stress, anxiety and unhealthy lifestyles are some of the major contributors that make us lose our touch with sleep, and it becomes a nightmare when you lie in your bed wide awake and watch the time pass as the night moves on to the next day, but you are unable to sleep.

Following are some natural remedies that can help you get proper sleep and rest properly.

Drink Warm Milk before Going to Bed

We have seen mothers give their children a glass of warm milk before they go to bed. It has been a long followed belief that warm milk helps you sleep better, but no one really knew how did milk actually help with sleeping?

According to various scientific studies, it has been confirmed that milk contains a sleep inducing amino acid known as the tryptophan. Although the levels of this amino acid are not as much to cause strong sedation but yes it does has positive effects in helping you get some rest; it relaxes your mind, delivers soothing effects and aids in relaxing and unwinding your body both physically and mentally. Ultimately it makes you fall asleep like a baby.

Use Catnip to get ready for Bed

Catnip is a plant that belongs to the mint family and it is known for its sleep inductive properties. It contains a sedating compound called nepetalactone, which helps you get relaxed, cozy and drowsy. So in case you are finding it difficult to fall asleep, try to cozy up by sipping some Catnip tea before you retire to bed at night.

The Method of making Catnip Tea

In a mug pour hot boiling water and add 1-2 teaspoons of dried catnip leaves. Cover and let it steep for 10 minutes. Strain the tea and add some honey if you like and drink it before you go to bed.

Brew yourself Some Strong Hop Tea

Hop tea is good remedy for lack of sleep as it produces relaxing and soothing effects. It helps in alleviating mental stress and calming nerves, therefore it promotes relaxation and helps you with easy and restful slumber.

The Method of making Hops Tea

To 4 cups of boiling water add 2 tablespoons of dried hopes. Transfer it to an air tight jar and let it steep overnight. The next day consume it (reheat if you may like) 30 to 45 minutes before you go to sleep.

Lemon Balm to Overcome Insomnia

Lemon balm can be great help if you are experiencing insomnia due to stress and anxiety. Lemon balm has been used for ages to treat asthma, snake bites and even depression. By boosting serotonin levels in your body, lemon balm can help you do away with anxiety, promotes mental relaxation and help you achieve better sleep.

The Method of making Lemon Tea

In order to concoct lemon balm tea, place 2 tablespoons of dried lemon balm and 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile in a mug. Pour over it a cup of hot boiling water and let it steep for at least 15 minutes. Strain the beverage, add some honey and consume it at least 30 minutes before going to bed.

Consume some Carbs at Night

Although it is not smart to munch on carbohydrates before you retire to bed, but the sleep inducing amino acid – tryptophan requires carbohydrates in your system so as to cross the blood brain barrier and bring about sleepy effects. The carbohydrates stimulate production of insulin which consequentially allows clear and direct passage for tryptophan into the brain fluid (cerebral fluid). Thus you get a sound sleep. So next time when you feel like you are not able to sleep munch on some healthy carbs and sleep tight.

Chamomile to Doze off

Chamomile has been long used traditionally in order to produce sedating effects and help people doze off. According to science, chamomile in packed with several chemical compounds that are sedative in nature therefore it helps people who are unable to sleep properly.

The Method of making Chamomile Tea

In ¼ cup of fresh chamomile, pour 4 cups of hot boiling water and let it steep for 10 minutes. Strain the tea and add some hot milk to it. You can also add lemon and honey to further enhance the flavor and drink this sedative whenever you are experiencing difficulties in falling asleep.

Bananas as Sedatives

It may sound strange but yes bananas are also very useful when you are struggling to get better and sound sleep. Bananas contain all the essential nutrients that promote healthy sleeping i.e. tryptophan, magnesium and potassium. While tryptophan is a sleep inducing agent, magnesium and potassium being muscle relaxants help your body unwind physically. So eat bananas in order to overcome lack of sleep naturally.

Cherries – Natural Melatonin Supplements

Melatonin is the most important sleep inducing hormone. People having jet lag or sleep problems/insomnia are often prescribed melatonin in order to recover from the condition and get easy and restful sleep. But in case you are not interested in commercial supplements you can use cherries as a natural source of melatonin. Cherries, just like bananas and milk, contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is metabolized into serotonin and ultimately converted to melatonin.

You can either consume fresh cherries just like that or even drink cherry juice to do away with your sleep problems.